Hebrews 11
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[00:00:00] Well, good morning. Uh, if you haven't done so already, please take your Bibles and turn to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. You know, I must be doing something right because Pastor Mike continues to invite me to come up here. So, um, you know, I haven't actually met him personally. Um, it's mostly been, uh, phone conversation, text, email, and sir, I'm sure one of these days I hope to connect with him.
Personally, but it is a pleasure to be here this morning. And, uh, the more I come and feel the the pulpit here, uh, the more I feel connected with you all. So, uh, we are connected of course, because of our fellowship in Christ, but there is something about a, uh, personal connection. And so I'm very thankful that, um, you have invited us to come back and have welcomed both my wife Linnae and I, uh, this morning.
Um, let me [00:01:00] pray again and then we will, uh, dive into our study in Hebrews chapter 11. Father, we come to you this morning so grateful, even for the p songs that we have just sang. Lord, there Is Your, the Blood of Christ is so precious, um, because it covers our sin or something that we cannot do on our own.
And so I pray that as we look to your word. That Christ would be all the more precious to us. And so we need your help, holy Spirit. And so we ask that you would come and illuminate our minds, give us hearts that want to hear your word and hearts that want to obey your word. And so bless this time together and provide an anointing among this message so that we might be.
Encouraged, or we need to be encouraged [00:02:00] exhorted, or we need to be exhorted and transformed where we need to be transformed. And we trust you for this. In Jesus' name, amen. So understand that you're going through, uh, the book of Hebrews, and if I had to choose, um, a, a favorite book in the New Testament, it would have to be Hebrews.
And so when Mike told me that this is. Uh, the book that he's preaching through, I immediately asked him if, if there was a possibility that I could preach a portion or an area of Hebrews. And so he gave me some options and I landed on Hebrews 11. I know he's not quite there yet, but I landed on Hebrews 11.
And so this morning we're gonna do a little 30,000 feet flyover. Um. The book of, uh, um, chapter 11 of Hebrews, and then Mike is gonna cover in more detail some of the specifics in his series. But the reason I [00:03:00] love the book of Hebrews is primarily because of two things. There's a lot of other reasons that I could come up with, but there are two, two really key reasons why I love the, the book of Hebrews, and maybe this will be an encouragement to you.
Number one, this letter has taught me how to read the Old Testament. It taught me how to read the Old Testament. Um, it's taught me to see that all of scripture does indeed point us to Christ. And, um, when Jesus in, um, Luke 24 talked about to the two man on the road to Emmaus, said that he unfolded the scriptures, um, beginning with Moses, the writings and the prophets.
I have to believe that some of the things the author have Hebrews brought about is some of the things that Jesus taught. And so that's what one of the reasons. Second reason why I love this book is [00:04:00] because it presents such a high view of Christ. And it's clear that his aim is to pre, pre preach a message on the supremacy of Christ because more than anything else, more than anything else, if you do not get anything else from the series through Hebrews that Pastor Mike is going through, understand this, that what the church needs most is a compelling view of Christ.
Communication skills are helpful in marriage. It is parenting techniques. I understand you're teaching a parenting class can provide practical skills in parenting, fighting, addictions with steps can be helpful and I don't undermine those things. Those are very profitable in the life of the church, however.[00:05:00]
Apart from Christ, we will all end up in hell. And the author of Hebrews is a very concerned pastor. He's concerned because this small group of second generation Jewish believers are becoming less and less preoccupied with Jesus Christ. They had heard the gospel. It was preached to them and it was preached by those who saw and witnessed the Lord Jesus Christ with their own eyes.
And by the grace of God, they were brought out of the shadows of Judaism and they were brought into the fullness, the substance of Christianity. They've been, they've been in Christ for some time now, but by the time they get this letter, their world is falling apart. The political climate they're up against has grown hostile towards those who [00:06:00] follow Christ.
In fact, the author of Hebrews reminds his readers of this very thing in chapter 10. He says, remember the early days after you had received of a light? Apparently shortly after their conversion, they stood their ground in the face of suffering. It. Some of them were publicly exposed to insults and persecutions, and other times they stood side by side with those who are being abused.
They sympathize with those who were in prison. They joyfully accepted the, the taking away of their property. They were preoccupied with, with a person and work of Christ, and thus they were waiting for a better and lasting possession. But. Change is happening. Some are beginning to bail on the church. Some have made it a habit of not gathering.
Some are drifting away from the Christian faith, and in fact, some have outright [00:07:00] neglected Christ. The church is weakening. And so how will the author of Hebrews encourage this group of believers to persevere in their faith? We're not different for many of them. I mean, this is second generation. When opposition to our faith comes our way, we too are tempted to cower.
We're tempted to bolt, we're tempted to remain silent. When unexpected trials or suffering comes, we're tempted to question the goodness of God. We wanna figure out a way to get out of the trial or to suffering. When life doesn't meet our expectations, we begin to wonder where is God in all of this?
Doesn't he care? I mean, he's supposed to be my savior, right? He's supposed to be my shepherd, my Lord, and look at all the stuff that's coming down upon [00:08:00] me in chapter 12, verses 12 to 13, the author writes. Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make strength paths for your feet.
So what that, what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. So here's a picture of someone who's discouraged, or verse 15, look at it. It says, see to it. That no one fails to obtain the grace of God, that no root of bitterness spring up and causes trouble. And by it many become defiled. So they're in danger of becoming bitter in their hearts.
And this kind of bitterness can arise in situations like trial and, and tribulation and distress. And often it starts with maybe a little cynicism. It might even include a little detachment. And soon resentment sets in. And so what keeps a [00:09:00] person who's undergoing trial for making shipwreck of their faith?
I mean, what enables us to run this race called the Christian life with perseverance? Well, the author, again provides an answer for us in chapter 10, verse 35 and 36. Look at it with me. He says, therefore, do not throw away your confidence. Which has a great reward for you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised.
See, the answer is persevering faith, and this is why the author ends chapter 10 with these words in verse 39. But we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and persevere or preserve their souls. So chapter 11 is a description of preserving bearing faith, and, and this is what they needed to [00:10:00] hear, and it's what we need to hear.
And so this chapter is, is, is uh, more than what many commentators even would call the Hall of Faith. It's often re regarded as a hall of faith. And here's a listing of all the men and women, women of faith. It's primarily a series of biblical illustrations of faith working under fire. And so what's being illustrated are triumphs of faith over all kinds of opposition.
And so the author isn't here providing a, a comprehensive definition of faith. It's a response to what these Hebrew Christians were saying, and what are they saying? It's impossible. To continue on in, in this situation or this circumstance, like, like ours, the only thing that we can do, the only thing that we can think about doing right now, they're saying is we need to go back to the [00:11:00] old way.
And the author of Hebrews is responding to them and to you and me, and he's saying, whatever you are walking through right now, it's not an impossible place for God to meet you and sustain your faith. See, many of us have at times, withered spiritually. Can I see a show of hands of those who have at times withered spiritually?
Ah. I mean, we've all gone through it and we wonder. Can my faith flourish in this situation? How can I go on any longer? And the author is saying, let's look at these men and women of God in scripture and let's learn from them. You see, when God is making a people of faith, he does so in the context of trial and that's the [00:12:00] significance of chapter 11.
He's describing, he describes a faith that's strong and a faith that's enduring, and a faith that pleases God. Hebrews 11, six says, without this kind of faith, it is impossible to please God because the kind of faith that pleases God is a persevering faith. And that's our big idea this morning. The author gives us here in this chapter, four Characteristics of persevering faith, and it's in your outline if you're a note taker.
Number one, persevering faith is built on a foundation. Number two, persevering faith is fruitful. Number three, persevering faith appears foolish. And number four, persevering faith is focused. And that's where we're headed this morning as we unpack this, um, chapter. So let's look at characteristic number one.[00:13:00]
Persevering faith is built on a foundation. Look at verses one to three. It says, now faith is the assurance of things hoped for. The conviction of things not seen for by it. The people of old received their commendation By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
And so the opening verses of Hebrews 11 shows us that faith is built upon the most solid foundation. And what is that foundation? The word of God. By faith, we understand that the universe was created by what the word of God. God's creation is a foundational point of theology for any community. So God brought the visible, created order into [00:14:00] being by His word, and none of us can go back and see the beginning with our own eyes.
None of us can see what God used to create this world, but God has told us in his word how he created this world out of nothing. And we know this by faith, we believe it because God's word says it. I mean, think about what the Saints of old were not privy to think about it. They weren't exposed. To all the documented data of intelligent design, they had no access to the vast body of evidence, documentation, or modern discoveries.
They didn't have the benefits of scientific documentations or modern discoveries. They, the things hope for is based on things not seen. [00:15:00] It's based on confidence in God's realities. The foundation of persevering faith is the reality of what God has revealed about himself. It's built on the fact that God is the creator and the ruler and the sustainer of all things, and this is how God, this is how God responds to Job in his afflictions.
He doesn't, you know, he, he, he goes back to the realities of who he is. In Job 38, where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? I mean, here's a guy who's suffering affliction, and God says, where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding who determines its measurements, surely you know, or who stretched the line upon it, or what about the prayer of Jehosaphat in two Chronicles 20?
Yes, the great army of Edam surrounded the people of Judah and [00:16:00] Jehosaphat and his prayer reaches for the foundation of his faith. Two Chronicles 20 verses five to six, and Jehosaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court and said, oh Lord God of our fathers are you not God in heaven.
You rule over the all the kingdoms of the nations in your hand, our power, and might so that none is able to withstand you. And then in verse 12 of chapter 20, he says, for we are powerless against this great hoard that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. Persevering faith is built on the realities of what God has revealed about himself.
It's a personal embrace of the truth. In John six, Jesus said some hard things in his sermon to the mass of people who was following him because [00:17:00] he was filling their bellies, he was meeting their material needs, and then he began to say some hard things and then. All of a sudden, all these people started to leave because they couldn't handle his teaching.
And so Jesus asked his disciples, do you want to go to? And what was their reply? Where else can we go? You have the words of eternal life. You have the words that create life. You have the words that speak creation into existence. You have the word that sustains life. So get this. When we study God's word, when we listen to sermons with intentionality, when we study the Bible with a small group of people, when we teach our children the word of God in our family devotions, [00:18:00] what are we doing?
We are laying a foundation for persevering faith, and that's the kind of faith that pleases God. Do you think you're gonna respond the way some of these saints of old respond to trial if you don't have a foundation of persevering faith, a foundation of the word of God, a foundation of the realities of what God has revealed.
About himself. That's the kind of faith that pleases God. It has a foundation. It's based on the reality of who he is. It's found only in his word. Secondly. Persevering faith is fruitful. It bears the fruit of obedience. Look at verse four. It says, by faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was [00:19:00] commended as righteous.
God commending him by accepting his gifts and through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. The Book of Genesis doesn't record the instructions for how able. Was to approach God according to verse four, he did what God said to do. He came with a sacrifice of an animal. He believed in God's way of approaching him, and obedience didn't produce faith.
The fruit of his faith was obedience to what God commanded, and he took God at his word. He took God's word at face value. He acted in line with what God had said and what happened. Got him killed. Abel's faith is an example of what persevering faith may have to endure. You may have to endure injustices in this life.
Peter reminds us of that in one Peter four, verse 12. Beloved, [00:20:00] do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you, when it comes upon you to test you as though some strange thing were happening to you. You may have to endure injustices. Noah displayed fruitful faith. Look at verse seven. By faith Noah being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen in reverent fear constructed an arc for the saving of his household.
By this, he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. So when Noah was warned by God concerning events as yet unseen. He was told about the approaching judgment of the flood. He reacted to this word from God in reverent fear or reverent submission. Noah grew up in a world where it had never reigned.
God told him about the approaching judgment of a flood and he had no category in his mind [00:21:00] for such an event and what this would look like. He took God at his word and he believed it to be true, and so he spent enormous number of years building a boat. I mean, think about how this changed the pattern of his life.
He was doing one thing and all of a sudden his daily pattern changed. His priorities changed, his daily routine changed. Why? Because he believed in the word of God. He was acting on unseen truth, and he was moved with fear and he spent nearly a century building the ark when other peoples mocked him.
Perhaps saying that he's insane, but Noah to God at his word and displayed fruitful obedience. A hundred plus years hammering and sawing using. Tools that we, I mean, [00:22:00] that we, that, that, that we don't even know what kind of tools he used. Abraham displayed fruitful faith. Look at verses eight to 10 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive it as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going.
By faith, he went to live in the land of Promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For, he was looking forward to the city that has foundation whose designer and builder is God. So Abraham's faith was immediately expressed by obedience to God's call.
He left his own country and he went off into the unknown and he had nothing to rely on, accept what God had told him to do. And as soon as he understood what God was saying he started to pack. It was instant obedience. It may have taken, you know, several days and weeks and months to [00:23:00] kind of make preparations for this trip, but in his mind, he was all ready on the way.
And so from that point on, everything he did revolved around obeying God's call. See persevering faith bears fruitful obedience. He left what others would call certainties of the world, and he left those certainties of the world and he, he left those certainties for what the world would call uncertainties.
God had given him a promise and he acted on that promise. And how did he act on that promise? He lived as a pilgrim. He lived his life, not an as an end in itself. He lived this life as a pilgrim towards a future that God alone can build for his people. And the basis for Abraham's obedience was that God's word.
That foundation [00:24:00] was ultimate reality for him. And so these great personalities of the Old Testament displayed this unwavering confidence in God's word. They were prepared to take God at his word. They knew it was a word of unrivaled authority. It was a word of decisive importance. It was a word of immense power and complete reliability.
In fact, John Calvin writes concerning the patriarchs, the patriarchs did nothing. That was not by the command of God. This is surely one of the principles of faith that we do not move a step unless the word of God show us. The way and shines before us like a lantern. Have you ever been in a pla, been a a in a place or in a position to trust and take God at His word?
I mean, can I take God at his word? Can I trust? Can I [00:25:00] trust that he is according to Romans eight? Working all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Can I trust that promise? If you say yes to that question, there's a follow up question, and the question is, what is the good God is working according to Romans eight.
He's conforming us to the image of his son. That's the good. Do you believe that that is the good that God is doing? Do you believe that the good God is producing in your life is to make you more like Christ? Okay. That's from his word. The good is not necessarily to change the situation. Right. That's not [00:26:00] the good.
That's not the ultimate good. Instead, the good he's producing is to make you and I more like Christ, whether the situation changes or not. Do you believe that? If so, you are displaying the fruit of persevering faith? And that's the kind of faith that pleases God. Do you wanna please God bear fruit? The fruit of persevering faith.
A faith that has a foundation, a faith that is fruitful. And third persevering faith appears foolish. It appears foolish. Persevering faith often appears foolish in terms of. Worldly reason and logic because persevering faith takes God at his word. It [00:27:00] always goes back to the foundation. Noah took God at his word and started building the ark foolish.
His neighbors, I'm sure, laughed at his building project foolishness. Abraham left the comforts of his home for a land unknown foolish, but he was taking God at his word. So he left his culture, his home, his family. He wandered as a traveler and he lived in tents. He lived like a stranger in a foreign country.
In verses 17 to 19, Hebrews 11. The appearance of foolishness is taken up a notch. Look at it by faith. Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son. Of whom it was said through. Isaac Shall Your Offspring be named. He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, [00:28:00] he did receive him back again.
He took God at his word. He took his beloved son, Isaac. And what did he do? He prepared him for, to sacrifice him. How foolish if Isaac dies. All his hopes would be lost. Abraham's offspring would come through Isaac. That was the promise of Genesis 12 and 15. Abraham had a problem in his hands, but he came to a clear conclusion that is God cannot break his word.
And of that he was sure. So taking God in his word will always appear foolish. Look at verse 17, by Faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac and he who had received the promise was offering up his only son. All his hope and dreams were [00:29:00] wrapped up in Isaac Abraham. This is from Genesis 22. Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love.
And offer him up on the mountain, which I will show you. So persevering faith appears foolish because everything in our life is literally entrusted to God with open hands. Even the things that are most dear to us in this world, old one of our children is a missionary in Mexico. And if you follow the news, um, last week, you are aware that Mexico's most wanted drug leader was captured and, and then killed.
And it, and that's not the point in response. Members of the organized crime unleashed a wave of violence in many cities, and Port Deval Vallarta was one of the cities hit, and our daughter lives right in the middle of where [00:30:00] some of the violence. Was taking place, and here's the point. She's safe now, praise God.
But my wife and I were wondering if we would have to apply persevering faith in this situation. We gave her our blessing to live in Mexico, knowing the instability there. We were the ones who taught her that our lives belonged to the Lord. We were the ones who taught her and encouraged her to take bold risks for the gospel.
How hard would be, would it have been to lose her or any of our children or any of our grandchildren? What is it in this world that you hold onto dearly? Is it your career? Is it your financial [00:31:00] status? Is it the safety of, of, of where you live? Is it the, is it the comforts of where you live? Is it the vacations that you take or your entertainment?
Is it the sports that you play or the status in your life? Is it your family? Is it your ministry? Persevering faith is open-handed with the things that we value in this world. Imagine what must have been going through Abraham's mind. Lord, even if you take my son's life, I believe that you can raise him for the dead if need be, and give him back to me to fulfill your promise.
See, Abraham believed that God can't break his word, and so when humanly speaking there was nothing to look forward to. Abraham looked forward to Isaac's resurrection. If resurrection was necessary to fulfill that promise, Abraham knew God could do it. And there had never been a single instance of a dead person coming back to life at this time.
I mean, he didn't even witness a Lazarus being raised from the dead. [00:32:00] And so the thought of a resurrection appeared completely foolish, and yet this foolish mindset brought a smile to the face of God. Can you imagine how pleasing that was to the Lord? Appeared foolish, but God was pleased. And then there was Moses whose persevering faith appeared foolish.
Look at verses 23 to 28. By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king's edict by faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than in, than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. For he was looking to the reward by faith. He left Egypt not being afraid of the anger of the [00:33:00] king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible by faith. He kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
In verse 23. He points out. The author points out Moses' parents trusted God. They trusted that God would cause a deliverance for him. And how does Moses' mother respond in foolishness? She placed a three month old Moses in a basket and sent that basket floating on a riverbank. Pharaoh's daughter finds the basket, opens it up, and behold the baby Moses is crying.
Moses was then taken into Pharaoh's household. God delivered him from Pharaoh's judgment, and he did so by having his mother build an ark that floated upon the waters. By faith, God rescued Moses through the faith of his parents. They not only [00:34:00] hid the child, but also entrusted him to God's care and deliverance.
And then, and then when Moses grew up, he demonstrated his own persevering faith. Like Abraham, he rejected the comforts of, of this earth. He rejected security. He rejected these things in order to serve the living in true God. In verses 24 to 26, we see a string of things that Moses did after he had grown up.
We're told that Moses declined to be identified with the world. We're told that he determined he wouldn't be identified with Egypt. He didn't want to identify with the, with the people of the world. He wanted to be identified with the people of God. And verse 25 we're told he chose to identify with the suffering of his people.
He could have had, he could have had an easy life in Pharaoh's court. Instead, he chose a life of self denial. He refused to pursue a [00:35:00] life of self gratification, and we're told in verse 26. That he counted abuse for Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. Material gain was characteristic of Egypt.
Its riches and treasures were notorious, but, but Moses decided, decided against them. In fact, he favored physical abuse in this world and preferred God's approval in the world to come. Only persevering faith can make this kind of foolish choice. And so the author of Hebrews is saying, when we make choices that appear foolish, when we act in persevering faith and it appears foolish, we're saying that Christ is more precious to us.
He's more precious than the comforts and pleasures that this world has to [00:36:00] offer. And so this mindset. This mindset will have a profound effect in our ambitions. It's gonna influence. It'll influence our spending habits. It will shape our goals. It will limit the kinds of programs that we watch. It will put a constraint.
On the websites that we visit, it will impact your career choices. If we exercise this kind of faith, we must be willing to look foolish. The cross of Christ appeared foolish when Paul says in one Corinthians chapter one, for the word of the cross is folly is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to to us who are being saved.
It is the power of God for the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. Jesus [00:37:00] foolishly went to the cross and it pleased the Father foolish in the eyes of man, but in the mind and heart of God, the height of wisdom, and this tells me. That persevering faith begins at the cross of Christ.
And so saying no to the pleasure of this world begins with coming to Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and therefore persevering faith begins with coming to Christ. And I would plead with you this morning. You will never please God. Apart from trusting the foolish message of Jesus Christ and him crucified, you will never please God unless you trust in the foolish message of Jesus Christ and him crucified, and you will never make choices for the gospel that appear foolish if you don't believe in the [00:38:00] message, the foolish message of Jesus Christ and him crucified, and that's the kind of faith that pleases God.
It's a faith that's built on the foundation of the word of God. It's a faith that produces fruitful obedience. It's a faith that appears foolish in the eyes of man. And finally, it's a faith that's focused, it's focused, persevering. Faith is focused first on a final destination. Look at verses nine to 10, back at nine to 10, verse of Hebrews 11.
By faith, he went to live in the land of promise. As in the foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise for, he was looking forward to this, to the, to the city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God. So Abraham is a pilgrim. He's a stranger, an alien.
In fact, in Genesis 23, he refers himself as a sojourner and as and as a foreigner. He lived on [00:39:00] land that wasn't his homeland. In Genesis 23, we start seeing the patriarchs. Those patriarchs are starting to die, beginning with Sarah. And then some 40 or 50 years later, we have, um, Abraham in Genesis 25. And so the author is saying that those with persevering faith live on forward and land like Abraham, you and I are just passing through, right?
Every two believer in Christ living in this world is an alien. Right. Our passports say that we're citizens of heaven, but in this land we are resident aliens. We don't belong to this world because our citizenship is in heaven and Abraham's citizenship. In Heaven affected how he lived in this present world.
It controlled his attitude towards this world. He chose to embrace the discomfort over comfort. And why did he choose this kind of life? [00:40:00] Right? When you visit a foreign country, you always feel uncomfortable because it, it's not your home. It's not comfortable to you. And it's the same thing because our citizenship is in heaven.
We shouldn't feel comfortable in this place because this world is not our home. It wasn't his final destination as a pilgrim in this world. He kept his eyes on a greater destination, a greater city whose builder is God. He knew that this wasn't where God will fulfill his promise. Listen to what the author had to say about Abraham and about those who died before the promise was revealed to them.
Verse 13, and following. These all died in faith. Not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth for the, for people who [00:41:00] speak thus make it clear that they were seeking a homeland if they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out.
So if Abraham was thinking about the land of er, where he left, they would've had opportunity to return. He would've gone back. Especially after Sarah died, and it would've been tempting him for him to go back. And so the author is writing to a group of believers who are in the same situation. They wanna go back to the old way, but he's exhorting them to stay focused on the final destination.
Look at verse 16. But as it is, they desire a better country. That is a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for, he's prepared for them a city. And then verses 39 to 40, the author says, and all these though commended through their faith. All those mentioned in chapter 11 did not receive what was promised since God had provided something better for us.[00:42:00]
So persevering faith means you've turned your back on this world and all its pleasures and all its sin. Persevering faith means this world is not your home. It means that the focus of your attention must be the final destination and namely the world to come. And so if you've come to Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
If you've received Christ as your Savior, if you've received him as the one who cleanses you from all unrighteousness, if you've trusted him as the one who has freed you from the uh, from guilt and sin and shame, if you've trusted him for eternal life, it means that you have turned your back. On this world, and Colossians three says, since you have been raised with Christ, or since you have turned your back on this world, set your mind on things above where Christ is [00:43:00] seated, not on the things that are on the earth.
So persevering faith. Lives of life that's focused on the eternal, and this was the pattern that Jesus modeled for us, and this is the pattern he left for us to follow. Unlike us, Jesus demonstrated persevering faith as a man perfectly. Look at, keep going to Hebrews chapter 12. Now, in verse two, it says that Jesus is the founder and perfecter of our faith.
In other words, he was the. Trailblazer. He's the chief leader or the pioneer of our faith. He blazed the way for all others who want to persevere in their faith. As the perfecter of our faith. It means he's not like the ones mentioned in chapter 11, it defines his greatness even more. He's separate from those described in Hebrews 11, and that's why chapter 11 is [00:44:00] separated from chapter 12 with the word.
Therefore, that's an important word because we've seen Noah, we've seen Abraham. We've seen Sarah Moses, David Nehemiah, we've seen Ruth, we've seen Samson. We've even seen those tormented. We've seen those who went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. But now here is Jesus the ultimate man of persevering faith.
He continued to trust his father until he could say it is finished. And the life of faith you want to focus your attention on is Jesus. Yes, persevering faith is focused on a final [00:45:00] destination, but what makes the destination worth it is because there's a person there. Abraham understood this water please.
Abraham understood this in John eight. Jesus is making a case that he's even greater than Abraham, and this infuriated the religious leaders because Abraham was the father of their faith. But in verse 56 of John chapter eight, Jesus rocks their world with this word. Your father, Abraham. Thank you. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day.
He saw it and was glad
[00:46:00] Abraham saw it. Isaiah understood this. In John chapter 12, Jesus is confronting the hardness of the people's heart towards him. And so he quotes a couple passages, one from Isaiah 53 and another from Isaiah six, and the writer in John, the writer tells us in John 1241, Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.
And so when Isaiah says in Isaiah six. I saw the Lord sitting upon the throne high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple. He's referring to Christ the second member of the Trinity, and he's seeing the angels cover their face and their feet because of his glory. That's so consuming, and so what kept Abraham, Isaiah and all the saints of old persevering, their faith was focused on a person.[00:47:00]
It was cloudy in their understanding, but it was focused on a person. And if it's a persevering faith you want to live, then you need to be focused and preoccupied with Jesus, not with Moses, not with David, not with Abraham, not with Samson, not with Paul, not with Peter, not your favorite preacher or your favorite theologian or whoever is in political office.
Because all these have lived and are living their faith imperfectly. But Jesus lived a persevering faith before his father, without the slightest imperfection first, he endured the cross. He stood alone during his trial before the priest. He stood alone before Pontius Pilate. He endured the agony of Gethsemane alone.
He endured the mocking, the spitting, and the beating. He alone bore the [00:48:00] wrath of God on Calvary. Second, he despised the shame, the shame of the cross. He despised the shame that comes with a death by crucifixion. Jesus thought so little of the pain and shame involved that he didn't bother to avoid it. In other words, he gave no regards for all the shame he would receive as a consequence of dying on the cross.
Third, he was raised from the dead. The work of atonement is finished. Christ sits now at the right hand of the throne of God forever. Verse two, he sat down because the work of salvation was finished. He never has to repeat his work on the cross for sinners again. And so now he occupies the position of preeminence at the right hand of God forth he faced the greatest opposition.
Look at verse three of chapter 12. Consider him who [00:49:00] endured from sinners such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or faint hearted. It describes the condition of a runner when he collapses from exertion. You've seen this on distance events. The runner gives, they're all and, and then once they cross that finish line, they collapse.
And so the author of Hebrews is concerned that we might not persevere in our faith. That we might give up before we cross the tape. And so he says to focus on the greatest runner of all because he ran against the greatest opposition. Right? Have your failures overwhelmed you? Are you wearing down from the resistance?
Does it seem like you won't finish the race? Is the temptation against the pleasures of sin too great for you to overcome? Well then shall we compare our journey with the one who said before us? Shall we then reflect upon our race and the race Jesus ran right. Pay [00:50:00] close attention to what he endured. His sacrifice is greater than any sacrifice you and I will ever make.
The measure of his sacrifice is measured by the extent of how low he came. He left Heaven's glory. Though he was rich, he became poor. He left kingship to become a slave. He left the perfect love among the Father and the Holy Spirit for what hostility Consider him. He bore the greatest shame. He bore the greatest reproach.
He bore the greatest injury he underwent the greatest condescension. Consider him, focus your attention on him so that you may not collapse before crossing the finish line. And why will eyes focus on Jesus, keep you in the race? Because it will remind you what he endured to purchase your salvation.
Forgiveness. [00:51:00] Purchased by Christ Justification. Purchased by Christ, reconciliation with God, purchased by Christ Sanctification, purchased by Christ Glorification, purchased by Christ. He purchased all of it for you. And what would be too great for you to endure for him? He died for all. So that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for him who, for their sake, died and was raised.
Two Corinthians five 15. See, the Christian life is not supposed to be a picnic. It's not a vacation. It's not a pleasure cruise. It's a grueling, demanding, an exhausting journey. Always strenuous, sometimes discouraging, occasionally hostile, but a reward Christ himself. It's given to those who finish the race.
On October 20th, 1968 in Mexico City, the final event of the Olympic [00:52:00] Games, the race that gave birth to the entire Olympic movement, the marathon, a 26.2 mile test of human endurance was in set, was in place. And as the contestants line up, the spectators buzz about the possible winners. And most of the attention was focused on a man named Mae Walde of Ethiopia.
And so with the crack of the starter's gun, the contestants begin their grueling pursuit of the gold for gold and several miles into the race. One of the runners, Stephen John Stephen Acqua, finds himself trapped in the middle of a group of other runners and so plagued with poor vision and his, he trips.
And his fall is devastating. His head is lacerated and his knee is dislocated, and he's trampled on by several runners before he can get back on his feet. And as is as expected, with the cheering of hundreds of thousands of people, it [00:53:00] is Mame Wall Day. The Ethiopian who crosses the finish line first and then the others, and then hours pass by.
But by 7:00 PM the final medals were awarded. And the closing ceremonies conclude the athletes and spectators begin to exit the stadium. But in the distance, a sound of sirens capture the attention of the people. And then over the PA system, the announcer's voice is heard. Please remain seated, and eventually the marathon gate entering into the stadium is opened.
And after a few minutes, a lone runner emerges out of the dark tunnel, stumbling into the stadium to finish his lap, his final lap. He's covered in blood and he's hobbling rather than running grimacing. With each step, he knows he can't win. And when and when John Steven Quarry finally crosses the finish line, he collapses.[00:54:00]
He collapses into the arms of medical personnel and is immediately rushed to the hospital. And the next day, Aqua appears in a press conference and he was asked why, why after the injury didn't you quit the race? You certainly knew you couldn't, you couldn't win. To which he replied, my country didn't send me 5,000 miles to Mexico City to start the race.
They sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race, and that's what the author of Hebrews is saying. It's about persevering to the end. It's not about, it's about starting for the purpose of finishing and how do we run the race of faith With perseverance, we focus our attention on the greatest runner of all. We focus on the person of Jesus Christ.
He's there. He's standing at the finish line waiting to crown you with a Victor's prize, waiting to utter those words. Well done. My [00:55:00] good and faithful servant. And even now, he calls each and every one of us. Run to me. Run to me. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full. In his wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.
Father, grant us the grace to persevere in this Christian life. We need your help, holy Spirit, to live the life that Christ lived. We need your help. Holy Spirit, to persevere to the end. Grant us the grace. To do so. Amen.
